The Corruption
by delta-velocity
Summary: Once you had gotten corrupted, it was from then on a slow decline. Every way was one-way and the black would spread like blood staining a cloth. [Pyukumuku/Munna] [Pokémon gijinkas]


_Author's Note: I have gotten into the habit of drawing and writing about gijinkas instead of real Pokémon. The context here is that young Pokémon gijinkas go to an academy where they hone their skills and abilities. In this AU, there is also a vile thing called "corruption", which will be explained about and is the main focus of the story._

* * *

 **The Corruption**

Mirai was clearly agitated. She threw herself back onto the grass, an audible, heaving sigh leaving her lips as she did so. They were now both splayed on the ground, like starfish, looking up at the stars. The air was cool and the hustle and bustle of the academy were far away behind them.

"Well, I still say it's pretty darn selfish." She almost spat out the sentence.

"Yeah?" Karma glanced at her, but she wasn't looking at him. She was staring up, the expression half-hidden behind her scarf as hard and unreadable as usual, but behind the resentment in her eyes, he could sense a bit of wistfulness. "How so, Mirai?"

"The Keldeo guy fucking _got cured of corruption,"_ the Pyukumuku girl said through gritted teeth. She paused, as if even trying to say any more needed her to collect herself first. "Let that sink into your mind for a second there, Karma - he was taken to an unknown place where _he got cured of corruption._ And then what? Did he share the information about the location of the cure to help others? Did he even give a hint as to what the cure is? Did he do anything at all that didn't have to do with his own sorry ass?"

A bitter chuckle. " _Fuck no!_ He just fucking sealed his mouth shut! No hint, no clue, not even a word! Thanks a lot... _for nothing!"_

Saying all that about one of the Four Swords seemed to have taken a lot out of even Mirai. For a moment, she paused, only heaving another sigh and closing her eyes when the true weight of her words sank in.

 _Mocking the legends... Surely this isn't blasphemy._

It was a few moments later when her companion answered, "Mirai... I'm sure he had a good reason to stay silent. Maybe that secret location or the cure itself can be misused for evil should they fall into the wrong hands. Maybe there are dangers related to the cure that we don't know and understand yet. Maybe that's why he hasn't told anyone about it."

Mirai saw him thoughtfully brush away wayward strands of pink hair from his forehead. She didn't know how he managed it, but his pink locks were of the soft kind - compare that to her own coarse brown hair. The fact that he had purple flowers dotted all over his pink crown only made him look even more harmless and - well, she'd be damned - _cute_.

But, great Arceus. If anything, that was what crushed Mirai's heart further. She felt her insides twisting with anger, as if the gut-fist was threatening to rip out and wreak havoc like it had always had.

The Munna went on, "I'm not sure myself, but... what I _am_ sure about is that there is a good reason behind his silence. There just... there just _has_ to be. If he's doing it, it must be because this is for the best..."

"That doesn't matter!" Mirai exploded. "What about all those people suffering from corruption? What about those having searched high and low for the cure?" After a moment, she added very quietly, "What about _you...?"_

"But this isn't about me, Mirai." He was as innocent as usual. "I came here to learn to help people with my abilities, and as long as I can do that even with corruption, I'm fine and happy! Even now, when I'm still learning, I've got a cool home, competent teachers who can help me with my fledgling psychic powers, role models like the Four Swords, and you! You and all our other friends. Whatever happens, you guys make everything better."

He smiled, reaching to tug at his right glove. The one that hid the telltale sign on the hand that had been bitten - the blackness underneath his skin. Soon it would spread, moving up along his arm as if it was a one-way street and, upon reaching his shoulder, Mirai knew it would gain free reign to crawl up his neck to his head or down to try and claw at his heart.

And yet...

 _This isn't about me, Mirai._

"...You idiot."

Mirai balled her fists, clenching a clump of grass in each one. The stars above her were looking more and more unfocused and blurry. Surely that wasn't water in her eyes, was that. She couldn't be crying, now could she.

"You're right, Karma," she finally said. "This isn't about you... but this is about me and you."

 _Don't... cry... dammit..._

She closed her eyes, letting the last of her tears spill onto her cheeks, down which they ran until they fell onto the grass. "I don't... I don't want to lose you, okay? If you dare leave me, I... I'll... beat y-you up... real hard..."

Oh boy, she was failing at this, wasn't she.

His hand moved and Mirai could feel the leather of his glove brush against her skin before taking it, gently getting her fingers to let go of the poor, crushed clump of grass. Mirai wasn't used to such physical contact, but this time, she let it happen, finding it oddly pleasing to have one of her fiery fists of fury be held in such a tender manner. It filled her heart with unusual warmth.

He smiled, but he didn't say anything. He _couldn't_ say anything, and Mirai perfectly knew that. That was the thing about corruption, after all - once you had gotten corrupted, it was from then on a slow decline. Every way was one-way and the black would spread like blood staining a cloth. Then, you could only guess whether it would first crawl up your neck to get to your head or go down to try and claw at your heart.


End file.
